Resilient bottom for couches, chairs, etc.



H5330? w29 v.I .KRONHElm/i 17225` RESILIENT BOTTOM COUCHES, CHAIRS', ETC

A Filed June 9, 1928 z sheets-sheet 1 gnou/dorf Y, Iuly.30, 1929. J.KRONHEIM RESILIENT BOTTOM FOR coUoHEs, CHAIRS, E Tc y2 Sheetsf-Sheetfama/fnaNHE/M Parenteel .any so, ieee.

.JACOB KRONHEIM, F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RnsILrEN'r BOTTOM Fon coUcHiss, CHAIRS, Ere.

Application filed June 9,1192'8. Serial No."284,`029.

My invention relates to resilient .bottoms for couches,.chairs, boxsprings, and likear- 4ticles of manufacture. In general my o bject is toprovideA a durable bottomof exceptional resiliencyV and low cost, whichwill greatly simplify the steps usually taken in manufac; turing andupholstering articles such as herein mentioned. In that connection-reference may 1,664,934, dated April 3, 1928, for a chair or couch,thepres'ent invention being an rm-` provement in part thereover, all ashereinafter shown and described and more con cisely set forth in theclaims. 1

Referring first to the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a top view, on areduced scale, of a resilient bottom-constructed according to' myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on a slightly larger scale, ofthe bottom attaehed to a Wooden frame, Such as a couch or chair frame.Fig. 3 is a bottom View of the bottom, partly broken away in places,stretched Within a rectangular frame. Fig. 4 is'a perspective view ofone corner of the bottom, and Fig. 5 a sectional View thereof, showingthe mode and manner of connecting and seating the main springs.

In constructing a chair,'davenport couch, or box spring, the generalpractice is to build a suitable frame iirst, then install a springbottom in the frame, and finally covcr'or enease the assembledparts withtextile fabries. In order to simplify operations of that kind, I providea bottom AM which is constructed and assembled as a separate unit in theshop, and which may be manufactured and sold as a separate article, andreadily installed by any manufacturer of furniture in frames of standardsizes.

This bottoni -A- is a composite structure built as follows: l

A sheet of strong canvas, duck, or other closely Woven material 2 ishemmed to enclose a wire frame 3 of somewhat smaller size than theopening in the frame B within which it is to be installed. Separatestrips 4 of clo'th of lighter weight than the canvas are sewed to thebottom face of Sheet 2 parallel with three sides thereof and contiguousto hem containing Wire 3. These border strips provide loose flaps whichare tacked to the Wood.- enA frame B eventually. A large piece ,6 ofloosely-Woven cloth, such as heavy burlap is sewed to Vthe top of canvaspiece 2, and

behad to my Letters Patent No.'

these pieces are stretchedv tightly in iacial l contact within wireframe 3. A series `of coiledv Wire springs 7 of hour glass shape, or anyother form, are seated upright in spaced relation in rows between thesides of Wire frame 3, with the circular bottom loop 8 of each springseated partly upon canvas piece 2 and partly upon the burlap coveringpiece'.

6. Thus each bottom loop 8 is in the form of a coil with the extremity 9of the wire detachedor free-from the body of the coil so that thisextremitymay be caused to penetrate and pass through the loosely Wovenbody or meshes of the top burlap piece 6 when the spring is seatedthereon'and rotated by hand during the assemblying or 'buildingoperations of the bottom. In that proceeding the sharp end 9 of the Wireis threaded in and out of the burlap several times so that the bottomloop or coil 8 is interfretted and interloclied with the burlap at-several places radially of the spring, thereby .anchoring and fasteningthe spring in a very simple and quick Way to the fabric base.

Each spring is thereby prevented from shifting horizontally from itsAselected posi'- tion or seat upon the canvas, and the spring is alsoheld down 1n place upon the canvas and cannot be easily disconnected ordisplaced when raised or lifted. The assemblying of the springs inAspaced relation and in a group is greatly expedited by usinT :pringswith free ends coiled and interlocked With the. burlap as described, andthe use of lan open mesh fabric upon the top of a closely-Woven materialpromotes easy attachmentand a firm seating for the springs.

Having the required Vnumberof springs attached to the flexible base asdescribed, the

upper ends of the springs are connected to gether, in any suitable Way.For example,

the springs may be connected together by twine and each spring placedunder a certain degree of compression by attaching the twine to Wireframe 3. The tied spring structure may now be readily installed Withinan open Wooden or metal frame B by connecting the wire frame 3 and theborder edges of the fabric to the four sides thereof. Preferably threesides of the Wire frame are connected by closely coiled tension springs10 to three metal strips 11 which may be vscrewed or nailed to threesides of the main frame B,

While the fourth side or front border edge r'of wire frame 3 isconnected to the front rail 12 offrame B by short and relatively stiliedges of the side. members of'main frame B,

thereby closing the space at three sides of the resilient bottom.Tension springs 10 and 14k are of sullicientV number and strength tostretch the :flexible bottom A tightly within frame. B, and theycooperate with the compression springs`7 in yieldingly supportingtheload. The movement or' bottom A downwardly under the load is greatestwhere the load is applied locally but nevertheless the load is in partdistributed to all of the supporting springs, and the border flaps'irare free toflex without strain where fastened to the respective frameswhen bottom A is under load.

In completing the installationV a suitable covering encases or isstretched over the springs carried by bottom A and in a couch or chairit is also customary to place a seat or cushion thereon, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 2. However, bottom A with its complement of seatingand supporting springs, may be vmanufactured and sold as a complete unitto manufacturers of furniture and similar household goods, and installedby them in frames of any suits able character or kind, and the appended,

claims therefore .are not to be construed as limiting the use of theinvention solely to the articles specifically enumerated herein.'

Vhat I claim, is: l .1. A resilient bottom for couches, chairs,

etc., comprising a flexible base member and a fabric covering for saidmember and in\ facial contact therewith, together with coiled springs,seated upon said base member and having seating portions interlockedwith said covering.

2. A resilient bottom for couches, chairs, etc., comprising superposedlayers of woven materials, and a series of coiledwire springs seatedupon said layers and interfretted with the upper layers of said wovenmaterials.

3. A resilient bottom for couches, chairs,

etc., comprising a base member of woven fabric, and a wire frametherefor, a covering of woven 'fabric aliixed to the top of said basemember in facial contact therewith, and coiled wire springs seated uponsaid base member and interloclked with said covering. v

4. In couches, chairs, etc., including a frame structure, a resilientbottom unit comprising a wire frame, a base sheet of closely wovenfabric stretched within said frame, flaps at the sides ofthe said frameadapted to be attached to the bottom rail of said frame structure,springs seated upon said sheet of fabric, covering means for said basesheet, securing` the seating portions of said springs to said sheet, andhelical springs connected to the border edges of said base sheet and tosaid -wire frame for connection of said resilient bottom unit to saidframe structure.

5. A resilient bottom unit for couches, chairs, etc., comprising aflexible base sheet,

, reinforcing means at the border edges of said sheet, a series ofcoiled springs seated'upon said sheet, and means extending over the topof said sheet and in facial Contact therewith for holding the seatingportions of said springs in situ.

'6. A resilient bottom unit for couches, chairs, etc., comprising arectangular flexible base member, coiled'wire springs seated upon andfastened to said basemember, a series of helical wireisprings connectedto the rear and end edges of said base member, anda series of shortstiffer springs connected to the-front side of said member. Y

7. A resilient bottom for couches, chairs, etc., comprising a flexiblebase member having a top covering of loosely woven material in facialContact atlixed thereto, coiled springs having base loops terminating infree ends interlocked with said loosely woven material while seated uponsaid base member, and means at all border edges of said base member forsuspending said assembly of parts yieldi-ngly within an open frame.

JACOB KRONHRTM

